Business owner finds color of money is bronze
Planet Beach customers can work on their tans using spray or UV beds
BY JENNIFER AMATO
Staff Writer

NORTH BRUNSWICK - Residents can now go to the beach without touching the sand.

Planet Beach on Milltown Road, located in the Brunswick Shopping Center, combines a tanning salon with a massage parlor, offering sun-lovers an opportunity to bronze their bodies while relaxing their muscles.

Steve Barsamian will officially open the business next week. A tanner himself, Barsamian worked for his cousin who owned a salon and realized that while his family was conducting a jewelry business in Manhattan, he wanted to expand in a different direction.

"For me, personally, it's a look good, feel good kind of thing," he said. "Your teeth look whiter, you have a healthy glow, it makes you feel good about life, as long as you don't abuse it."

The two specialty items Planet Beach offers are the Mystic Tan system and the Aqua Massage. Mystic Tan is a UV-free booth that sprays the entire body with small jets in 60 seconds.

"It's quicker, number one, and number two, it doesn't streak and there are no UVs," he said. "It's a little bit more for safety-conscious people, more than the beds, which are just bulbs."

Barsamian said that a person can lay in a UV bed first and go to the Mystic Tanning after since you must wait about three hours after the spray tan before showering. He said the results of a Mystic tan should last seven to 10 days.

For those accustomed to standard tanning beds, there is a basic lay-down machine for light-skinned beginners, a VIP lay-down machine for intermediate tanners and a Platinum stand-up for those with darker skin tones. A skin analysis is done for each customer prior to tanning to determine their proper placement. The beds produce a seven-day result, although the first signs of brown skin come after about 24 hours.

Barsamian said that starting out at one session a week but maxing out at two or three times a week should be sufficient enough to produce a significant tan. He warned that pregnant woman should only use the Mystic Tan, but he said that any person over the age of 16 can benefit from the services at Planet Beach.

He also offers tanning accelerators and bronzers to prolong the length of a tan, as well as a variety of lotions and sunblocks to deter UV damage. He also sells eyewear since state law requires that tanners wear goggles while tanning.

There is a staff of five International Smart Tan Network certified employees on hand, who had to take a three-hour online course about the products, safety procedures and tanning guidelines.

"We're not here to make you burn, we're here to make you look good," he said.

For those seeking the ocean aspect of the beach, a full-body Aqua Massage treatment uses pulsating water jets in a machine that surrounds the person, who is fully clothed; there is no direct water-body contact.

"Especially if you're coming from the gym and are working out and want muscle relief, you can come in. Or, if you're working 12 hours, before you go home to the wife and kids, or vice versa, you can come relax and think about life a little bit," he said.

In addition, there is a makeup station with Internet access, and Barsamian is looking to add ping-pong tables and other recreational items in the back space of the facility, which is currently empty.

"These days a lot of people are working a lot of hours and don't have six hours to go down to the beach ... so they can pop in here for 20 minutes and get a tan," he said.

To celebrate the grand opening of Planet Beach, Barsamian has placed coupons and fliers throughout the community. There are free membership deals, guest passes and free tanning sessions without any contractual obligation.

"We hope for the first thing to be a long-term relationship with our customers. We hope they'll be satisfied. If you're not happy, it doesn't work. It's all about customer satisfaction," he said.

The tanning salon is open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. On holidays there will be shortened hours, but Barsamian's plan is to be open 365 days a year.

Planet Beach was founded in New Orleans in 1995 and currently operates over 350 franchises across the country. The North Brunswick location is at 594 Milltown Road. For more information, visit www.planetbeach.com or call (732) 246-3115.